Metformin treatment of patients with hand osteoarthritis: A randomised, placebo-controlled trial

2023-509181-38-00 Therapeutic confirmatory (Phase III) Ongoing, recruitment ended

Start 3 May 2024 · Status Ongoing, recruitment ended · 1 EU/EEA countries · 2 sites

Overview

Sponsor-declared trial summary

Phase Therapeutic confirmatory (Phase III)
Status Ongoing, recruitment ended
Participants planned 150
Countries 1
Sites 2

Osteoarthritis

To compare the effect of metformin, relative to placebo, on finger joint pain of the target hand measured as change in a visual analogue scale (VAS) after 16 weeks of treatment, in patients with painful hand OA.

Key facts

Sponsor
Bispebjerg Hospital
Participant type
Patients
Age range
18-64 years, 65+ years
Gender
Male and Female
Therapeutic area
Diseases [C] - Musculoskeletal Diseases [C05]
Trial duration
3 May 2024 → ongoing
Decision date (initial)
2024-04-11
Transition trial
No
Low-intervention
No
Rare-disease indication
No
Vulnerable population
No

Trial design

CTIS Part I — objectives, methods, condition coding

Main objective

Scope: Therapy

To compare the effect of metformin, relative to placebo, on finger joint pain of the target hand measured as change in a visual analogue scale (VAS) after 16 weeks of treatment, in patients with painful hand OA.

Conditions and MedDRA coding

Osteoarthritis

VersionLevelCodeTermSystem organ class
21.1 LLT 10019115 Hand osteoarthritis 10028395
21.0 PT 10029469 Nodal osteoarthritis 100000004859
21.0 LLT 10064565 Erosive osteoarthritis 10028395
21.1 LLT 10016686 Finger osteoarthritis 10028395

Eligibility criteria

Principal inclusion / exclusion criteria as submitted by sponsor

Inclusion criteria 1

  1. Study participants will have a diagnosis of hand OA. Diagnosis will be confirmed by a medical doctor at baseline and participants must fulfil the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for hand OA (35): • Hand pain, aching or stiffness on most days the previous 4 weeks And at least 3 of the following features: • Hard tissue enlargement of ≥2 of the 10 selected joints* • Hard tissue enlargement of ≥2 of the 10 DIP joints • Fewer than 3 swollen metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints • Deformity of at least 1 of 10 selected joints* *The 10 selected joints are the second and third DIP, the second and third PIP, and the first carpometacarpal joints of both hands. An individual will be eligible for study participation if he/she meets the following criteria: 1. Age ≥18 years 2. Hand OA according to the ACR criteria above 3. Average finger (2 to 5) pain ≥4 on a 0-10 numeric rating scale (NRS where 10 is worst pain) over the past 30 days 4. Metformin naive

Exclusion criteria 1

  1. A participant will be excluded from the study if he/she meets any of the following criteria listed below. Known diseases will be based on diagnosis registered in the participants health journal. If an exclusion diagnosis is suspected, necessary diagnostics will be performed before inclusion in the study. Comorbidities 1. History of, or current signs of medical disease that may affect joints, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis 2. Psoriasis 3. Known malignancy (except successfully treated squamous or basal cell skin carcinoma) 4. Drug or alcohol abuse in the last year 5. Existing nerve entrapment syndromes (e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome) 6. Known diabetes 7. Generalised pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia 8. Known peripheral neuropathies 9. Known allergies towards the interventions 10. Gastric bypass or other malabsorption syndrome 11. In case of pharmacological weight loss medication (e.g. glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues) or pharmacological osteoporosis medication, dosage must have been stable for 3 months without any plan of up-titration during the study period 12. Any other condition or impairment that, in the opinion of the investigator, makes a potential participant unsuitable for participation or obstructs participation e.g. psychiatric disorders. Surgical history 13. History of hand surgery in the target hand within 12 months prior to enrolment 14. History of arthroplasty, arthrodesis or surgical treatment of thumb base osteoarthritis in the target hand Management strategies 15. Use of systemic corticosteroids equivalent of ≥ 7.5 mg prednisolone daily within 3 months 16. Treatment with denosumab (Prolia/Xgeva) 17. Participation in experimental device or experimental drug study 3 months prior to enrolment 18. Intra-articular treatments of any kind of any joint of the target hand 3 months before inclusion 19. Current use of synthetic or non-synthetic opioids 20. Planning to start other treatment for hand OA in the study participation period 21. Planned CT scan with iodine contrast 22. Scheduled surgery on upper extremity of the target hand during study participation 23. Scheduled surgery requiring pause of metformin, e.g. surgery in general anaesthesia, during study participation Reproductive system 24. Pregnancy 25. Planned pregnancy within the study period, 3 months after end of study treatment for female fertile participant and 6 months after end of study treatment for male participant 26. Insufficient anti-conception therapy for female fertile participants within the study period and 3 months after end of study treatment  Sufficient anti-conception therapy consists of intra-uterine device (coil), hormonal anti-conception (birth control pills, implant, intra-uterine system, dermal patch, vaginal ring, or injections) or sexual abstinence  Female participants are considered infertile if they are postmenopausal or if they have undergone surgical sterilisation (bilateral salpingectomy, hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy)  Postmenopausal state is defined as no menses for 12 months without alternative medical cause before inclusion in the study 27. Insufficient anti-conception therapy for male participants within the study period and 6 months after end of study treatment  Sufficient anti-conception therapy consists of condom or sexual abstinence  Male participants are considered sterile if they have undergone surgical sterilisation (vasectomy) 28. Breast-feeding Blood analysis 29. Positive anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (>10 kU/L) 30. eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 31. Vitamin B12 deficiency < 200 pmol/L 32. Hba1c ≥ 48 mmol/mol

Endpoints

Primary and secondary outcome measures (English text)

Primary endpoints 1

  1. Change from baseline in VAS finger joint pain of the target hand after 16 weeks of treatment (at the week 17 visit).

Investigational products

Investigational medicinal products (IMPs), comparators, placebo, auxiliary

Test 1

Metformin Orifarm 500 mg filmdragerade tabletter

PRD339266 · Product

Active substance
Metformin Hydrochloride
Pharmaceutical form
FILM-COATED TABLET
Route of administration
ORAL
Max daily dose
2 g gram(s)
Max total dose
203 g gram(s)
Max treatment duration
16 Week(s)
Authorisation status
Authorised
ATC code
A10BA02 — METFORMIN
Marketing authorisation
27607
MA holder
ORIFARM GENERICS A/S
MA country
Sweden
Paediatric formulation
No
Orphan designation
No
Modified vs. Marketing Authorisation
No

Placebo 1

The placebo is produced by the central pharmacy of the capital region in Denmark. The placebo contains no active ingrediens.

N/A · Product

Other product name
N/A
Pharmaceutical form
N/A
ATC code
N/A — N/A
Marketing authorisation
N/A
MA holder
N/A
MA country
Iceland
Paediatric formulation
No

Sponsors and contacts

Sponsor organisations, regulatory contacts, third parties

Bispebjerg Hospital

Sponsor organisation
Bispebjerg Hospital
Address
Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 31
City
Herlev
Postcode
2730
Country
Denmark

Scientific contact point

Organisation
Bispebjerg Hospital
Contact name
The Parker Institute

Public contact point

Organisation
Bispebjerg Hospital
Contact name
The Parker Institute

Third parties 1

OrganisationCity, countryDuties
Frederiksberg Hospital
ORG-100028217
Frederiksberg, Denmark On site monitoring

Locations

1 EU/EEA country · 2 investigational sites

By country

CountryMS statusPlanned subjectsSites
Denmark Ongoing, recruitment ended 150 2
Rest of world 0

Investigational sites

Denmark

2 sites · Ongoing, recruitment ended
Bispebjerg Hospital
The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400, Copenhagen Nv
Region Midtjylland
Diagnostic center, Silkeborg, Falkevej 1 D, 8600, Silkeborg

Country notifications

Trial-start, recruitment-start, end and early-termination notifications submitted per Member State

Country Trial startTrial end Recruitment startRecruitment end Early termination
Denmark 2024-05-03 2024-06-03 2025-10-30

Oversight and notifications

Regulatory notifications under CTR Articles 38, 52, 53, 54 and 77

Serious breaches 1 · Art. 52 CTR

Serious breach SB-87379

Sponsor became aware
2025-06-12
Date of breach
2025-02-12
Submission date
2025-06-20
Member states concerned
Denmark
Categories
Regulation
Areas impacted
Data reliability or robustness
Benefit-risk balance changed
No
Description
In connection with the establishment of a new trial site (Silkeborg), a new randomization list specifically for this site is generated by the Pharmacy of the Capital Region. This randomization list was erroneously never forwarded to METRO’s study personnel. Independently of this, the Silkeborg site was mistakenly initiated by the METRO study personnel without a randomization list. Thus, errors have occurred both at the Pharmacy of the Capital Region and with the METRO project’s study personnel. This has resulted in four trial participants not being assigned medication corresponding to their baseline allocation, either at the baseline visit or at the week 8 visit, but instead having been crossed over to active/placebo. It was decided by the METRO steering committee that participants, as soon as possible, should return to the study medication to which they were allocated at baseline. Two of the trial participants returned to their baseline allocation at the week 8 visit. One participant already finished the end-of-trial (week 16) visit. One participant has 4 weeks left to end-of-trial visit. For this participant it was decided to not return to the allocated group due to potential adverse effects of switching from placebo to maximum dose of metformin.

The randomization list for the Silkeborg site has now been implemented, so that participants who are already enrolled will remain in the group to which they were allocated at baseline.

No additional sites will be established in the METRO study, so the error will not recur.
Sponsor actions
12.06.2025: Date of becoming aware of the serious breach.
13.06.2025: the randomization list for site Silkeborg is implemented and thus the problem is solved.
13.06.2025 – 20.06.2025: discussion with the Pharmacy of the Capital Region, the external monitors (GCP unit) and steering committee of the METRO trial about how to handle the serious breach.
17.06.2025: The affected participants informed by telephone to pause the study medication.
20.06.2025: The affected participants informed by telephone and written letter about the mistake and how it will be solved.
OrganisationCityCountryType
Region Midtjylland Silkeborg Denmark Clinical facility BE/BA

Results and documents

Annex IV summary of results, Annex V layperson summary, and all documents registered in CTIS for this trial

Documents 13 files

Public protocol annexes, IB summaries, regulatory submissions and post-authorisation documents registered in CTIS.

TypeTitleVersion
Protocol (for publication) Appendix 1 Medicindagbog 1
Protocol (for publication) Appendix 2 Efficacy outcomes questionnaires and scoring sheets 1
Protocol (for publication) Appendix 7 deltagerkort 1
Protocol (for publication) PROTOCOL Metformin for Hand OA latest 4
Recruitment arrangements (for publication) Annoncemateriale 2
Subject information and informed consent form (for publication) Deltagerinformation forlngelse 1
Subject information and informed consent form (for publication) Deltagerinformation mundtlig 2
Subject information and informed consent form (for publication) Deltagerinformation skriftlig 2
Subject information and informed consent form (for publication) Dine rettigheder som forsgsperson i forsg med medicin 1
Subject information and informed consent form (for publication) Samtykkeerklring 2
Subject information and informed consent form (for publication) Samtykkeerklring forlngelse 1
Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) (for publication) Appendix 3 Produktresume Metformin Orifarm 1
Synopsis of the protocol (for publication) Protokol synopsis 2

Application history

3 submissions — initial application plus substantial / non-substantial modifications

#TypeCodeSubmittedReference MSConclusionDecision date
1 INITIAL IN 2024-01-09 Denmark Acceptable
2024-04-10
2024-04-11
2 SUBSTANTIAL MODIFICATION SM-1 2024-06-12 Denmark Acceptable
2024-07-30
2024-07-31
3 SUBSTANTIAL MODIFICATION SM-2 2025-05-02 Denmark Acceptable
2025-06-12
2025-06-12